The two-day workshop is entitled “Socio-ecological Inventories: Building Resilience to Environmental Change within Biosphere Reserves.” Along with Swedish experts Lisen Shultz and Åsa Swartling of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, the University will welcome Environment Canada scientist Adam Fenech, acting manager of the Adaptation and Impacts Research, Environment Canada, University of Toronto.

Fenech was a co-recipient of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC shared the award with Al Gore.

The three-day program will convene a two-day scholarly exchange at Brock’s Inniskillin Hall with Canadian and Swedish environmental scientists, social science scholars, and students. They will share expertise in resilience, socio-ecological inventories, and biosphere governance and evaluation.

On March 9 from 3 to 5 p.m., participants will have a public seminar at Rodman Hall featuring Swartling’s research. It will also include Brock Biology student Jessica Pike and findings from Brock’s first-ever carbon footprint by associate professor Richard Mitchell being presented to Brock’s Niagara Region and Environment Canada partners. Brad May, Tourism and Environment (TREN) instructor, will introduce this inaugural public event.

“A lot of projects have come to maturity for members of our group over the past three years,” said Mitchell, who is also BESRU’s communications
co-ordinator. “This is our first public event. We’re very honoured to have both national and international experts here to contribute.”

The first two days are invitation only. The Rodman Hall event is open to the public with limited seating. RSVP to rmitchell@brocku.ca to confirm a spot.

In addition to his IPCC work, Fenech is a senior climatologist with Environment Canada who has been working on climate change issues for more than 22 years. His current research activities include rapid assessment of climate change impacts, climate extremes at protected areas, and validating community observations of climate with the scientific record.

He has worked at the JFK School of Government at Harvard University on global atmospheric issues, teaches annually at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. and maintains a climate research lab at the University of Toronto.

He is also the author of many scientific papers and editor of five books on climate change over the past five years.